Under Surveillance - a mystery thriller

[mrvarlin]

...with a little bit of horror. Just completed shooting; should have a final edit ready for September.

official site: us.davecampfield.com
imdb listing: us.imdb.com/Title?0287072

Let me know your thoughts. Thanks

[armagecko]

I checked out your sites and I must say that you have me intrigued! What did you shoot with, and how did you and the crew survive for the year and a half that you were in production? Ouch! That's a long time!

[mrvarlin]

Well, shooting started in December in 2001 with a crew of about 8... lasted for 14 days before unexpected expenses came up. It knocked the production out of commission, and I had another 40% of the movie left to shoot.

But with the footage I cut together, I was able to raise the money I needed to complete it. So we began again with a new crew (headed by a photographer who understood how to conserve money and listen to direction) around September 2002... and shot for another non-consecutive 10 days.

It was shot digitally, with an extreme effort to create a film look. We've fooled everyone so far

there's some behind the scenes up at www.sleepawaycampmovies.com --

[armagecko]

That's great, man. Way to Hang In There! I'm glad it all worked out. Can't wait to see it. You gotta keep us posted on your festival plans and such.

[mrvarlin]

I was wonder if anyone had any suggestions for festivals I should submit it to? There's such a wealth of them out there I don't know where to go...

thanks
Dave

[armagecko]

I'm compiling a list of horror film fests for the board and I'll post when it's complete. In the meantime, I have a few suggestions for all of those looking to submit your latest shocker:

1) Know your goal. Do you want theatrical distribution? (Don't we all?) But seriously, can your movie compete with Hollywood's latest? Step back and make an honest evaluation. Or, better yet, ask others for their opinion. The answer to this question will determine your business strategy. Submitting to fests can get expensive, especially if you do it correctly. If you're after theatrical distribution, you need one plan; if you want DVD distribution then you may need a different plan; if you just want to show your film ... do you really need a plan?

2) If you have a serious contender for box office dollars, you definitely want to submit to some of these festivals (Deadlines for submissions in parentheses). These are the BIG TEN:

Sundance - (September)
Toronto Int'l - (June)
Cannes - (March)
Berlin Int'l - (November)
SXSW (South-By-Southwest) - (November)
Telluride - (July 15)
Chicago Int'l - (August)
Florida Film Fest - (March)
Slamdance - (October)
Cinequest - (October)

**One point of caution: You MUST research these and all other film fests to which you intend to submit your work. Some do not accept horror genre. I don't know how you would classify your movie, so I can't make the judgment whether or not it is a genre flick. But, surely you can. [Hint: If you've got a guy stumbling around in the woods, killing sex-hungry teens, while wearing a _____ (fill in the blank) mask, then you've got yourself a genre flick, Amigo.]

3) If your movie does not fit the criteria of these festivals, or if you have been rejected by some of the above, don't contemplate suicide. A festival premiere is still possible. Look to the festivals that cater to your genre. This being the LBHFS messageboard, some will undoubtedly have horror-genre flicks. SCREAMFEST (in LA) is one of the most important horror fests in the country. SHRIEKFEST (also in LA) may be worth a try. But, certainly submit to the NEW YORK CITY HORROR FILM FEST. And there are others.

4) If distribution is your goal, plan your premiere carefully. SCREAMFEST and SHRIEKFEST don't really like each other, so if you plan to premiere at Shriek, Scream probably won't accept your movie. These are things you've got to know. So, do your homework. Plan a strategy that will sell your movie. (And YOU thought filmmaiking was about MAKING MOVIES!)

I'll post my list of horror film fests as soon as it's complete. Also, check around the board, as I'm sure that others posts have been made regarding festivals.

[NzoMatrix]

Excellent post armagecko! Nice job summing up the do's and don't of festival submitting. And the members are going to appreciate the effort you put into compiling a list

[mrvarlin]

Armagecko,

thanks a million. How many of these zero budget indy films have you been through... I mean both a viewer and filmmaker.

[armagecko]

Hey, Dave. Actually, most of the productions I've been involved with have had a budget of some kind. But, at any level of filmmaking, the goal is the same. Whether your flick had a budget of $500 or $5 million, if you're trying to make money from it, you'd better be COMPETETIVE. This is especially important when seeking theatrical distribution. Cinemas only have so many screens, yet they have a buffet of material to choose from. Why would their buyers choose your movie over 2 Fast 2 Furious, or Finding Nemo, or, heck, even Wrong Turn? The only reason they would is if you somehow managed to prove to them that you're capable of turning (more than) a few heads. The metal of a film and a filmmaker is generally proven at film festivals. Was this guy/gal savvy enough to come up with several marketing angles? Does s/he (or they) have the necessary enthusiasm and presence to push this product in the market? Did this guy/gal get my attention? Distributors are looking for the answers to these questions. And they usually find them at festivals.

[michaelvorhees666]

Looks awesome man!!!! Wow!! This ousnds like an excellant occult movie. I've been waiting for a good one lately. Looks like you might have the goods. Keep us updated!!!

Sam